Myths and Truths Climate Change

Future Temps - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• Doubling atmospheric CO₂ would lead to a 1°C bump in Earth's average temperature

• Melting polar ice will slow down warming trends because heat is absorbed in the process

• Temperature and CO₂ levels are proven to be related, so the increasing levels of CO₂ currently being observed will lead to more warming

Answer explanation

Fun fact-If Earth average temperatures increase 1°C, ice would melt much more, and ice reflects the sun's heat. More heat would be absorbed causing an even bigger increase in global temps - an estimated 3°C versus 1°C.

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Extreme Weather - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• Heavy downpours and flooding events are increasing in some areas

• Extreme weather proves the existence of global warming

• Warmer temperatures amplify the impact of droughts because increased temps enhance evaporation from soils, making droughts worse than they would be under cooler conditions

Answer explanation

Fun fact-Warming will exaggerate extreme weather by altering ocean currents, providing extra heat to form tornadoes and hurricanes and causing more precipitation. Warm air holds more water vapor than cooler air. Warmer temps increase evaporation from soils thus amplifying droughts.

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Oceans - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• Oceans contribute to atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by emitting CO₂

• Oceans have been getting more acidic due to warmer global temperatures

• The temperature of the upper layer of the ocean has increased by about 0.13°C per decade over the last 100 years

Answer explanation

Fun fact-The oceans have been getting more acidic but not due to temperature but rather the ocean absorbing more CO₂. This causes carbonic acid to form. Oceans do contribute to atmospheric carbon dioxide as part of the balanced carbon cycle

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Historical Temps - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• Ice core data shows that Earth's climate has always changed

• Earth has experienced warmer period in the past

• Earth's temperatures have never been as high as they are today

Answer explanation

Fun fact-Ice core data shows that Earth's climate has always changed and had warmer periods in the past, even as recently as 56 mya. However, Earth's temps are warming fast - faster than at the end of an ice age. In the 2000's, some places experienced twice as many record high temperatures than low.

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Carbon Dioxide - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick a lie

• The concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere is at a record-breaking level

• For the very first time in history, carbon dioxide levels have exceeded 400 parts per million

• Carbon dioxide is a pollutant in the atmosphere

Answer explanation

Fun fact- Levels of CO₂ have changed throughout Earth's history, reaching a max of about 300 ppm. Never in Earth's history has it gotten to the level it is today - over 400 ppm. CO₂ is not a pollutant but is a natural part of the atmosphere and carbon cycle - this current level is not due to natural processes

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Polar Bears - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• Loss of sea ice makes it difficult for polar bears to hunt for seals

• Polar bears are an endangered species

• Some populations of polar bears are actually increasing

Answer explanation

Fun fact- Some populations of polar bears in the arctic are actually increasing. Polar Bears are listed as "vulnerable" but not endangered. Decreasing sea ice could affect polar bears in the future because they do use sea ice as a platform to hunt for seals

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Measuring Change - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• Scientists can study Earth's climate up to almost a million years ago - before people even existed

• NASA uses space satellite data to study climate issues and sea ice on the surface of Earth

• Scientists collect temperature data from 15 land-based data stations around the world

Answer explanation

Fun fact- The US Air Force Climatology Center and other climate organizations have thousands of locations collecting data. NASA and climate scientists study ice cores and satellite data to study climate and carbon dioxide levels from the past and current climate issues like sea ice data

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Greenhouse Gases - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• Greenhouse gases are dangerous and must be reduced by at least two-thirds to halt global warming

• Naturally occurring water vapor is a greenhouse gas, and there is more of it in the atmosphere than CO2

• CFCs are man-made gases used in aerosol cans, refrigeration and A/C that trap heat in the atmosphere

Answer explanation

Fun fact- Normal levels of greenhouse gases are necessary for life to trap heat and keep Earth the perfect temperature range for living things. But, human activities have added extra CO₂, methane, and man-made CFCs so more heat is trapped and the greenhouse effect is exaggerated

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Fossil Fuels - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• The biggest reason people burn fossil fuels is for cars and other types of transportation

• Fossil fuels are natural, and were formed by the process of decaying ancient plants and animals

• Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that would otherwise have been trapped underground

Answer explanation

Fun fact- The biggest reason people burn fossil fuels is for electricity production, but transportation is in pretty close second place. Combined, they account for about 60% of carbon emissions.

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Food Chains - 2 Truths and a Lie, Pick the lie

• Human food sources will be impacted by climate change even though much is grown on farms

• Changes in arctic sea ice is leading to less ice algae - an important base of the arctic food chain

• Organisms at the top of the food chain (humans, hawks, etc) will be at the least risk when food chains are disrupted

Answer explanation

Fun fact- In natural food chains, there are already effects. Changes in sea is is leading to less ice algae- a base of the arctic food chain. Organisms at the top of food chains are at the most risk when food chains are disrupted because as a group they have the least energy available to them in the first place

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